Inquisition
by Rhadeya
Summary: Malcolm Reed is accused of killing several people during a bombing. The Enterprise crew must work fast to prevent him being executed for the crime. Rated M for torture and non-con. Please R&R
1. Waking

**Author's note**: Enterprise and its characters don't belong to me (if they did, the series would still be going!). Any and all original characters, places etc are mine and are not to be used without permission.

* * *

**1\. Waking**

It was the smell that first began to rouse him from his unconscious state. The stench of stale sweat, blood and vomit invaded his senses, dragging him unwillingly back to the waking world. Reluctantly he opened his eyes, his tired brain not yet registering why he would be smelling the things he was. Only faint outlines greeted him and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"_Where am I?"_ he thought, blinking several times to try and clear the fog from his mind. He waited patiently as his eyes gradually adjusted to the low light and he could start to make out more than outlines. He could see he was on a plain stone floor, and there appeared to be little in the way of furniture nearby. He could just make out the shape of two low wooden cots and what appeared to be a doorway into another room. Given that he could not smell faeces in the revolting scents assaulting his nose, he surmised that the other room was possibly a toilet cubicle of some sort.

He gingerly pushed himself into a sitting position, trying to stifle the grunt of pain that forced its way past his lips as broken ribs made themselves known. The floor he had been laying on was smooth, which offered some small amount of comfort to him. He leant back against the wall of the room, and began to take stock of his situation.

Aside from the doorway into the toilet area, there seemed to be only one other door in the large room. There were no windows at all and the only faint light came from between the four bars that were set into the small square hole in the door. "_So, a cell_," he corrected himself silently. "_Not a room, but a cell. And a well-used one, by the smell of it_." What he couldn't recall though, was how he had ended up here, or where 'here' actually was.

A quiet scrape caught his ear and he looked over towards the cots, seeing for the first time that one appeared to be occupied. The shape moved, rising from the cot and moving in his direction. He tensed, ready to defend himself if need be, and was mildly surprised when the person stopped nearby and sat down opposite him.

"Who are you?" the voice asked softly. The owner, though shrouded in shadow, was distinctly female and there was fear lacing her voice.

"Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, of the starship Enterprise," he replied, wondering how she could understand him as he was sure his communicator had been taken from him.

"What did you do?" the woman asked, curiosity now entering her tone.

"I honestly don't know," Malcolm answered, not relaxing under her scrutiny. "What about you?"

"I'm called Elianne," she told him quietly. "And I am here because I refused to be sold to a minister as his pet whore!"

"It's nice to meet you Elianne," he said, relaxing slightly. "Would you mind telling where 'here' is please?"

"The Manorax detainment complex," she informed him. "If you're here, you're not going to leave until you die."

####

"Captain, you may come down to the surface for the start of the trial," First Minister Jerem informed Captain Archer simply.

"Trial?" Archer demanded incredulously.

"Yes Captain," Jerem replied. "Your crew member will be tried along with the others involved in the bombing."

"And if he is found guilty?"

"If that verdict is reached, then he will be punished accordingly," Jerem advised.

"And what is the punishment in this case?" Archer wanted to know, glancing at the faces of his senior staff, who stood to the other side of his desk.

"Given the severity of the offence, Captain, the punishment for this crime public execution," Jerem told him calmly, his voice giving no indication of emotion.

"Thank you, First Minister," Archer replied coldly. "We will see you in three days time for the start of the trial. Archer out." He ran a hand over his eyes, letting out an agitated sigh.

"Captain, you're not really gonna let 'em execute him, are ya?" Trip demanded, echoing the feeling of the other senior staff in the ready room. He had the good grace to look sheepish under the strong stare that his commanding officer shot him.

"T'Pol, can you please gather up all the information we have on the incident?" he asked the Vulcan, who simply nodded her head slightly in agreement. "Hoshi, see if you can get in touch with the First Minster's staff and see what other information we can get please. Oh, and see if there is any way we can see Malcolm before the trial."

"Yes Sir," Hoshi replied, her voice wavering slightly.

"Don't worry Hoshi, I'm not about to let Malcolm be executed," Archer assured her. "Dismissed."

The others filed out of his ready room, leaving him to his dark thoughts. Turning back to his screen, he pulled up the video footage they had been supplied upon Malcolm's arrest, watching it again in the hope that it might prove his innocence.


	2. Information Gathering

**Author's note**: Yes, this is going to be Malcolm bashing If you don't like the idea of torture etc, please don't read further. Rating may go up in later chapters. I don't own anything except the original characters etc. ~0~0~0~ represents a flashback.

* * *

**2\. Information Gathering**

_September 1__st__ 2159_

Malcolm Reed was sure he was having the worst day of his life. Waking up in a cell had been bad enough, but to find out he was implicated in the deaths of nearly two dozen people was making things far worse. The information had come from the guard who had brought him and his cell mate their morning meal. Knowing he had to keep up his strength, he had eaten the slop that could only loosely be called food, fighting back the urge to gag at the vile taste. Trying not to vomit as the food sat badly in his stomach, he recalled the conversation with the guard in his mind.

~0~0~0~

_The door swung open to reveal a heavyset man carrying two bowls. Double swords hung at his belt and his face carried a look of disgust, which bordered on open hatred. The waves of dislike rolling off the man startled Malcolm, and he theorised that whatever he was accused of must have been pretty bad._

"_Here, eat," the guard ordered, putting the bowls on the floor with a bump. He stepped back as if to leave but stopped and looked at Malcolm. "You'll pay for what you did," he snarled._

"_What did I do?" Malcolm asked, trying to remain calm. He didn't expect the bark of angry laughter the guard let out._

"_You know damn well, murderer," the guard replied with a sneer._

"_No, actually I don't," Malcolm tried to convince his captor. "I hit my head," he continued, motioning to the dried blood on his forehead._

"_You bombed a busy market plaza," the guard told him. "You killed 11 innocent people with your foul act!" With that, the guard stormed out of the cell and closed the heavy door behind him, the clang of the key in the lock having a terrifying sound of finality._

~0~0~0~

The encounter with the guard had happened several hours before and Malcolm had spent the time since then going over the shocking news. How could they believe he had been involved in a bombing? That he was responsible for the deaths of so many people? The very thought of having caused anyone's death made him feel nauseous. He didn't, couldn't, believe that he would ever have done what they claimed, but he had no memory of the events that led him to the cell.

Malcolm started suddenly when Elianne moved to sit opposite him on the second cot. She looked at him curiously, fear evident in her eyes.

"Did you really kill those people?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

"No!" he replied vehemently. "I know in my heart that I would never do that."

"They won't believe you," she told him. "If you're here, it means they have evidence against you or..."

"Or?" he queried.

"Or they've made some evidence to look like you're involved, so they can torture you for information."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"If the First Minister thinks you have something he wants, he will not hesitate to contrive a way to get what he wants," she laughed bitterly.

"Is that what he did to you?" Malcolm wanted to know.

"Yes," she confirmed sadly. "When I refused to be his personal whore, he had evidence fabricated that put me at the scene of an attempted murder."

"What?!"

"Yes, he is an evil man," she nodded. "The evidence was overwhelming and I was sentenced to life imprisonment here."

"I can't think that there is anything he would want from me though," Malcolm mused. "Your civilisation is as advanced as ours. In fact, your medical technology is far more advanced than ours."

"But our weapons are primitive" Elianne told him. "Perhaps they think you can _help_ them with advancements?"

"By _help_, I assume you mean that they will torture the information out of me?" he guessed, seeing the flicker of fear in her eyes that confirmed his suspicions. "Did they do that to you?"

"No, I didn't even get a trial," the bitter laugh came again. "They simply grabbed me from my home and threw me in here."

"Have you been in this cell alone since then?"

"I wish," she sighed. "They have given me several _cellmates_ since I came here."

"They've mistreated you?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

"Oh yes," she snorted. "Ironic really. The First Minister couldn't abuse me himself so he made sure that others did it for him. Had I just agreed to his terms, I would have been in the height of luxury while being abused..." She bit back a sob as she stopped talking.

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I won't hurt you. I promise" He saw her nod slightly, her expression telling him that she believed he was no threat to her.

####

Laying on the cot, he was trying to recall what had happened before he awoke in the cell. He remembered their reception the day they arrived.

~0~0~0~

_The tall spires of the city rose up around them, like tree branches reaching for the sun. There were no harsh angles here, everything was smooth and curved. Green spaces interspersed the buildings, making a pleasant environmental mixture of architecture and nature._

_The small away team was met by a larger party of their hosts. Each person was dressed in several layers of semi-transparent material in vivid colours, complementing the surroundings perfectly. At the front of the group was a tall, slender man, his robes the colour of polished copper. As with all of his race, he was pale skinned with silver hair and eyes._

_The man, First Minister Jerem, greeted them warmly. Captain Archer introduced each member of the away team and the First Minister seemed interested in each one of them. His gaze lingered a moment longer on Malcolm than the rest of the away team, but the Tactical Officer dismissed it as simple curiosity._

~0~0~0~

The memory of the introductions lingered in his mind and he went over the meeting again in his mind. As he recalled the gaze, he felt a sudden knot forming in his gut. The gaze hadn't been of an intimate nature, but there was certainly more interest towards him that the rest of the away team. Perhaps Elianne was correct. Perhaps he had indeed been targeted because if his position and knowledge of Enterprise's weapons systems.

His musing were interrupted by the door being opened. Surprised, he shielded his eyes from the sudden influx of light that flooded the cell. The guard from earlier entered the cell, followed closely by two others. Without a word, the two men grabbed Malcolm's arms and yanked him to his feet, dragging him between them as the familiar guard followed and relocked the cell. Malcolm swallowed fearfully, knowing that the afternoon was not going to be a pleasant one.


	3. Questioning

Author's Note: Thank you to all the lovely reviewers I've had, you guys are awesome Here's some more Mal bashing, just for you

* * *

**3\. Questioning**

The day, Malcolm decided, had gotten considerably worse. Not only was he now considered to be a mass murderer, but he had been dragged out of the cell and taken to a small, brightly lit room for 'questioning'. In this particular case, questioning had so far consisted of questions being asked and punches thrown when he did not respond as they believed he should. As was his training, he answered with name, rank and serial number only but this seemed to further anger his captors.

"Why did you plant the bomb in that particular plaza?" the question came again, asked for the 10th time that afternoon.

"Malcolm Reed, Lieutenant...," he stopped as another punch landed, snapping his head to one side. He sat out the blood that suddenly filled his mouth, aiming deliberately for the boots of the man who was doing the punching. That act of defiance earned him another punch to the face, and a second to the ribs.

"Why do you continue to lie to us?" the man questioning demanded. "We have video evidence of you planting the bomb, seconds before it went off."

"No!" Malcolm exclaimed angrily. "I didn't plant any bomb!" He blinked away the blood that had begun running down his forehead and into his eyes.

"We can make this stop, Malcolm," a third voice chimed in, this one decidedly female. "Just tell us what we need to know and we'll let you go." The voice was deceptively soft and caring, persuasive in its owner's apparent concern for his well-being. The owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows and came to stand before Malcolm, her hand gently wiping away the blood from his forehead.

"I can't," Malcolm told her, with no small amount of regret in his voice. He knew exactly what they wanted from him; a confession to the bombing and the details of the weapons Enterprise was equipped with. He also knew he would rather die than give them what they were asking for.

"You will give us what we want, eventually," she assured him coldly, all warmth and compassion gone from her voice. She motioned to another person behind him and stepped back, allowing an older man to come around to face him. The man carried a small metal rod in his gloved hand, the end blackened but heat emanating off it. He tensed, knowing what was to come and knowing he would break eventually. He kept the hope of rescue in the forefront of his mind as the rod was pressed against the bare skin of his chest, his screams soon echoing down the corridors of the prison.

###

Captain Archer sat in his ready room, his thoughts dark and his mood darker. The video evidence supplied by the Urazan government showed Malcolm kneeling down and tucking a small object into a crack in a wall. His Armoury officer had then stood up and walked away, getting caught in the resulting blast a few moments later. The evidence was damning, to say the least. He keyed the comm and was surprised when T'Pol answered.

"How may I be of assistance, Captain?" she asked in her usual calm manner. Her face betrayed none of the emotion her human colleagues expressed but her eyes spoke volumes.

"Have we managed to gather any further information about the bombing?" he queried, hoping that the Vulcan may have found something he had missed.

"I'm not sure Captain," she replied, her brow furrowed ever so slightly.

"What do you mean"? he wanted to know, hope springing in him that perhaps Malcolm wasn't guilty of the crime he was accused of, despite the evidence.

"There are some minute inconsistences with the evidence provided to us Captain," she advised. "But it will take me some time to fully investigate."

"Do whatever is necessary," he told her firmly. "We have to prove Malcolm's innocence."

"Yes, Sir," she agreed. The screen went black as the comm disconnected and Jonathon sat back in his chair, the spark of hope inside him glowing like a hot ember, ready to burst into flame.

###

Malcolm awoke to the feel of a cool cloth against his face and flinched away involuntarily. He opened his bruised eyes, expecting to see the small room where his 'questioning' had been taking place. With a slight sigh of relief, he recognised the dark stone walls of the cell, and realised that Elianne must have been cleaning his wounds. He turned his head towards her, smiling apologetically at her and gladdened by her slight smile in response.

She moved back to his side, and started to clean his wounds again, the cool cloth a blessing after the heat of the brand they had used on his chest. When they had first stripped away the simple tunic they had given him, he had been afraid of what they were about to do to him. The heated brand had been almost a relief, given the other options that had gone around in his head.

"Did you tell them what they want?" she asked softly, her face clearly showing her concern for him.

"No," he told her, wincing as she washed away the dried blood from his chest. Had it not been for the pain of his injuries, he would have found her ministrations almost erotic. He locked that thought away quickly, trying to fit back into his old Section persona and finding it difficult to do so. _"Too bloody long as an upstanding Starfleet officer," _the thought bitterly, though the realisation comforted him somewhat.

When he had first joined Enterprise, being able to slip back into the persona of Lupi, as he had been known by his former teammates, was as easy as breathing. Back then, Malcom Reed had been the persona he had to 'adopt' but, as the months turned to years, Lupi became a distant memory. After the incidents with the Klingon plague and Terra Prime, he had thought to leave that part of his life behind forever, but now he found that perhaps, Lupi could come in handy once more.

"They will make you confess, eventually..." she said sadly, her eyes filled with compassion at his impossible situation. "But if they find you guilty, you won't be here long."

"No," he agreed bitterly. "I'll be dead."

"Better that than being here for the rest of your life," she admonished gently. "You think their treatment of you is bad now, wait a few days. If you don't break, they will resort to more _extreme_ methods to get you to talk."

"What do you mean?" he demanded, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"They will stop at nothing to get what they want," came the enigmatic reply.


	4. Elianne

Author's note: Thank you all for you reviews

* * *

**4\. Elianne**

_September 2__nd__ 2159_

The morning of his 42nd birthday dawned beautifully clear and bright, although Malcolm Reed wasn't aware of it. His captors had dragged him out of the cell again late during the night and continued their _discussion_ from earlier in the day. The brand had been used again, as well as a razor sharp knife and some sort of whip, though he hadn't been able to identify what kind. By the time the whip had been brought into play, he was too far gone in pain to focus on anything. As he dropped further into the pain of the torture, his mind focused on the calming techniques he has used when he was part of the Section and he was able to distance himself from the pain to some degree. He idly wondered how long it would be until he broke and gave them what they wanted...

###

Dawn had passed a few hours before by the time the guards dragged him back to the cell and threw him inside. He stayed still, listening for them to leave before he groaned. Within moments Eli was by his side, slipping his arm around her shoulders and helping him to slowly get to his feet. She helped him to the low cot and gently laid him down. She disappeared for a brief second, before reappearing with a bowl of cool water and a cloth.

She wiped away the blood on his face and helped him to turn over so that she could tend to the wounds on his back. She tried to be as gentle as she could but the hiss of pain each time she touched a cut was an indication of the agony he was in.

"So how come you ended up in here? From what we had gathered, you had a very open culture," he queried through gritted teeth, breaking the silence.

"Depending on your caste, we do have a relatively open culture," she told him. "If you are of the upper caste, you can have virtually anything you want."

"And if you're not?" he wanted to know.

"If you are of the lower caste, you are bound by law to obey the upper caste," she said. "For a lot of the time, we are left in peace but sometimes, demands are made and we are expected to acquiesce to them."

"And if you try to fight back?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"They either make you or dispose of you into somewhere like this," she confirmed.

"What exactly did they demand of you?" he questioned.

"First Minister Jerem demanded that I become his concubine," she advised. "I was not allowed to have been with anyone and would be forbidden from being with anyone else for the rest of my life."

"You're a virgin?" he blurted out, surprised.

"I was," she laughed bitterly. "Before I came here."

"They raped you?" he gasped in horror.

"Many times," she confirmed. "And many different people."

"They guards?"

"No, the guards have their orders," she told him. "No, Jerem made sure to have the worst type of prisoners assigned to _share_ my cell."

"Jesus!" he spat, furious. "And you must have thought..." He sat up, pulling away from her as the full horror of the situation hit him.

"No!" she exclaimed. "The way the guards treated you when they first brought you in, I knew you wouldn't be a threat to me." She placed her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her so he could see the truth of her words in her silver/gold eyes.

Her palms were cools against his skin and the flash of erotic thought raced through his mind again, wanting her hands on him as a lover rather than a nurse. He tensed, hating himself for his obvious physical reaction to her touch, knowing what she had been through and how she had been mistreated. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she felt him tense, searching his face for several seconds before realisation dawned. Her slender body was only inches from his naked torso and she could feel the heat from him. Throwing caution to the winds, knowing that this might be the only chance she had to experience physical _pleasure_, she lowered her lips to his. He pulled away, searching her face for any sign of fear.

"Eli...?" the question hung in the air between them, an unspoken request for permission.

"Please," came the reply; the request, and more, granted in the singular word.

"You're sure?" he asked softly, wanting her but not wanting to compound the treatment she had already received at the hands of others.

"Yes," she confirmed, her body reacting to his arousal. "I would like to have pleasure once, before they punish me again, so that I will have something good to hold on to during their torture."

"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered, drawing her to him until she was straddling his lap. She simply shook her head and pressed her lips to his, feeling him respond instantly. Gently at first, he caressed her, slowly stripping off the simple linen dress she was wearing. She responded eagerly to his touch, taking her lead from him and growing more confident with each passing minute.

The two prisoners explored each other for hours, unaware of the video camera in the corner of the cell capturing everything that was happening...


	5. Trial Day

Author's Note: There will be more explanation of Eli and her reasons soon but let's just say, she's not had the best of time and she knows what her assistance will cost her when Malcolm is gone.. The sentences in _italics_ are said in Vulcan

* * *

**5\. Trial Day**

_September 3rd 2159_

Captain Jonathon Archer sat in the small court room, waiting for the proceedings to begin. Beside him sat his Vulcan 1st officer T'Pol and Chief Engineer Charles 'Trip' Tucker. All wore their Starfleet uniforms and both officers had been ordered by their captain to keep their mouths shut, Trip in particular. The rebellious look on the Commander's face had very nearly prevented him from accompanying his Captain but he had relented and promised his silence. First Minister Jerem entered the chamber and took his seat, and silence descended on the room.

"Bring in the prisoners," he ordered of the guards. The doors opened and five people were led in, Malcolm among them. They looked tired but unharmed and took their seats facing the rest of the room. Malcolm saw the three Enterprise officers and his eyes widened ever so slightly. Trip looked at T'Pol and then at Archer, his eyes showing that he felt something was very wrong.

"You are all charged with the bombing of Ezalan Plaza and the deaths of 11 people who died as a result of the blast," Jerem told them coldly. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," the five replied in unison.

"Very well," Jerem remarked. "We shall take a 10 minute recess to allow the accused to speak with their counsel." He looked over at the Starfleet officers and continued. "Captain, you may speak with your crew member if you wish." With that, he rose and made his way over to speak to some of his people who were waiting near the doors.

The three hurried over to where they friend sat, his face impassive but his eyes speaking volumes. Trip reached out to grasp his friend's clenched hands and saw the involuntary flinch.

"Malcolm, how are you?" Jon asked, he too feeling that something was amiss with his officer.

"I feel like Chris in the _Undiscovered Country_," he told them, looking pointedly at Trip and hoping his friend would pick up on the reference. He nodded almost imperceptibly as he saw the recognition in his friend's eyes, and the confusion as he looked over the seemingly healthy man in the dock.

"The video of the blast made it look like you'd been injured..." Archer said, his voice holding a certain amount of confusion.

"They _healed_ my injuries," he replied, stressing the word and seeing the flicker of acknowledgement in T'Pol's eyes. "I'm ok, really. My cellmate has filled me in on the judicial _process _on this planet."

"I see," Jon said, his voice calm. "We will see you again soon Lieutenant." The three briefly touched Malcolm's hands before moving to the other side of the room, as far away from the authorities as possible.

"_So, tell me what is going on?"_ he demanded, switching to Vulcan and keeping his voice low. He looked between T'Pol and Trip, seeing the suppressed anger in both.

"_He's being tortured,"_ Trip replied, he too keeping his voice quiet. _"The reference he gave was about a book we discussed a few years back, about a woman who was being tortured and healed again so that no-one knew what was happening."_

"_Indeed," _T'Pol confirmed. _"The comment he made about healing his wounds is consistent. You can see the signs of damage below the surface of his skin. It would appear they are only healing the surface damage."_

"_Yeah," _Trip continued. _"The flinch when I touched his hand tells me they have been violent with him."_ The engineer was almost visibly shaking with suppressed rage at the obvious mistreatment of his friend.

"Easy, Trip," the captain cautioned, switching back to English. "We'll sort it out, I promise." Anything further he was going to say was interrupted by First Minister Jerem retaking his seat and calling the court to order.

###

It was nearly dark by the time Malcolm was returned to his cell. As soon as the door closed behind him, he turned to meet Elianne who rushed into his arms. He grunted with pain as she hugged him fiercely but clung to her as she clung to him. Their lips met and he somehow managed to manoeuvre them to the cot as they stripped away their clothes, taking comfort in each other while knowing that their time together was finite.


	6. Evidence

Author's note: So, the trial has started and it's time for some more Mal bashing Thanks to my loyal reviewers, you guys are keeping me going

* * *

**6\. Evidence**

_September 4__th__ 2159_

The second day of the trial was well under way by the time Malcolm was able to properly concentrate on the proceedings. Another _discussion_ session had taken place overnight and he was still trying to push the pain away. Again, the surface damage of the injuries inflicted on him had been healed, making it appear as though he was being well treated. However, when he made eye contact with Trip, he knew his message the day before had been understood. The subtle tightening around the mouths and eyes of his three crewmates told him they all understood what was being done to him. An imperceptible nod to Trip passed on the message that the treatment had been repeated again and the flash of anger in his friend's eyes was both gratifying and terrifying.

Today the evidence was being presented against the five of them and it was mounting against them quickly. The Second Minister Karem had already shown the video of the bomb being planted and exploding. All five of the accused could be seen in the plaza as Malcolm knelt down and appeared to place a package into a crevice in the wall of a building. Footage was then shown of them walking away from the area in a hurry, moments before the blast occurred. Further footage was now being shown of a meeting earlier in the day, which showed two of the accused passing a small package to Malcolm in another part of the area. The two, a man and woman, then left in the opposite direction and Malcolm walks back towards the main government complex.

The three Starfleet crew stared in shock at the footage, wondering what they had just seen. The video evidence seemed to be overwhelmingly against Malcolm. Had he really been involved in the bombing as he was accused of being?

A recess was called and the three hurried over to their crewmate, needing answers.

"Malcom..?" Jon asked, his tone neutral.

"_Sir, I swear I had nothing to do with this,"_ Malcolm told him calmly, switching to Vulcan and speaking quietly. He knew that these people had not encountered the Vulcan language before and knew it was relatively safe to converse in it.

"_The video evidence..."_ Trip began, stopping when Malcolm shook his head slightly.

"_I can't explain at the moment, but you have to believe me,"_ the Brit stressed. _"As soon as I can, I will explain but not right now."_

"_If you're not involved, why would they be trying to frame you?"_ T'Pol asked calmly.

"_They're after my weapons knowledge,"_ he whispered, as First Minister Jerem moved towards them. "I am being treated well," he continued, switching back to English. "Please tell Hoshi..."

"Don't worry Lieutenant," Archer assured him in English, taking his cue from his Armoury Officer as Jerem joined them. "I'll let her know you're ok."

"Thank you, Sir," Malcolm replied, feigning a look of relief. Jerem motioned for the Starfleet personnel to retake their seats, casting a suspicious look at Malcolm who pretended fear under the intense scrutiny. Hope blossomed in his chest as he saw the quiet conference between his colleagues, knowing they would do what they could to help him.

###

Night had fallen by the time the guards brought Malcolm back to his cell. He was surprised and worried to find that the cell was empty. The guard who brought his food gave him no indication as to where she was or whether she would be back. As he waited for the guards to collect him for the next questioning session, he thought about the evidence presented in the chamber that day. Had he not been certain of his innocence, he too might have believed he was guilty.

"_Perhaps this is my penance for my past,"_ he thought solemnly. _"Or perhaps a practical joke from the Universe." _He laughed hollowly. He hated killing, he always had. Even thinking about having to kill an innocent person made him feel nauseous. But, in a cruel twist of fate, he was good at it. The best he had ever seen, Harris had said months after he joined. While Harris' file may have only ended in 2149, he had been running Section for years by that point.

Recruited as a young Ensign in 2142, aged 25, he was impressionable and eager to make his mark. Given his first mission a few weeks after joining, he had carried it out professionally, then vomited as soon as the kill had been made. The fact that the man he killed was a child molester who trafficked very young children to other perverts had made him feel better about what he had done. After that, he was given the assignments the others couldn't do, extracting information from the scum of the universe before killing them.

As his alter ego Lupi, he had earned a reputation as being a cold, emotionless bastard who could interrogate anyone and get the required information every time. The others in his team had given him the name Lupi, saying he had the cunning and ferocity of the Wolf. Only one person within Section had been able to understand him and she had been killed months before he left. Her death had been the catalyst for his wanting to leave and he had walked away from Section 31 after killing her murderer, slowly and painfully.

His musing was interrupted by the sound of the door being unlocked and he looked up, fully expecting to see the guards ready to take him away again. Instead, he saw two guards dragging Eli between them, her clothes torn and blood stained. They threw her roughly to the floor, laughing as they walked out of the room and locked the door behind them. Malcolm rushed to her side, gently turning her over and gasping. She was barely conscious and covered in blood. It was obvious to him she had been beaten, her left eye swollen almost shut. The bruising and cuts covering her body said they had not gone easy on her. The only saving grace for them was that there appeared to have been no sexual assault.

Lifting her semi-conscious form into his arms, he carried her to the cot and laid her down, preparing to administer some aid to her as she had done for him. His rage rose up inside him and he could feel Lupi slowly creeping in. He silently vowed to extract his vengeance on the people who had so badly treated the woman he found he was developing feelings for...


	7. Interrogation or Torture?

Author's Note: All will be revealed soon, promise I've upped the rating to M because of the content of this chapter, so be warned.

**WARNING**! If you are not a fan of torture, non-con etc, please do NOT read on. The following chapter has some very not nice content.

* * *

**7\. Interrogation or Torture?**

_September 5__th__ 2159_

For Malcolm Reed, this was most definitely the worst week of his life. Even during his tenure in Section 31 had he never had a week as bad as he was currently having. After the evidence presented the day before, the 'court' was in recess while the jury, made up of Jerem's closest advisors, deliberated on their verdict against the five accused. Having no doubt already told his advisors how he wanted them to proceed, First Minister Jerem had distanced himself from the rest of the proceedings and now stood in the interrogation room. Malcolm sat tied to the chair as he had more times than he wanted to remember, the feeling of dread in his gut getting stronger with each passing minute.

"So, Lieutenant, are you ready to tell me what I want to know?" Jerem asked coldly.

"Malcolm Reed, Lieutenant..." he began to reply, as he had for the past hour, stopping when another punch landed on his jaw.

"Now, now, Lieutenant, don't be foolish," the First Minister admonished with a sigh. "You will tell me eventually."

"Never!" The single word was passed his lips before he could stop it. The flash of defiance in his eyes was going to cost him but he was past the point of caring. He could feel Lupi sliding over him, carefully putting Malcolm Reed away so that he was protected from what was to come. He knew that his fate had already been sealed and that the session today was about getting what they wanted. If he gave them the information they were looking for, they might well be 'lenient' and let him leave with his ship, but he would have already betrayed his friends..._again_. No! He had been down that road before and would never re-travel it. Whether he was Malcolm or Lupi, he would never again betray his people the way he had done that fateful day.

"Oh, I think I can perhaps change your mind," Jerem smirked, motioning to an unseen figure behind him. Two unfamiliar guards came into view, dragging a third figure between them. Malcolm kept his face carefully neutral as he recognised the injured Eli, whom they threw to the floor at Jerem's feet. "I believe you two have been getting acquainted," he laughed cruelly. Lacing his fingers into Eli's tangled silver hair, he pulled her roughly to her feet and grasped her face. The look of pain on her face told Malcolm that the contact was not a gentle one and he once more vowed silent vengeance to himself for those mistreated by the regime.

"Say nothing," she begged of him, her voice little more than a whisper through split, swollen lips.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll speak soon enough, _Miato_," the older man sneered, dropping her to her knees. Turning back to Malcolm, his eyes glinted with a mixture of disgust and respect for the Starfleet crewman's endurance. "So, I'll ask again _Malcolm_, what are the specs for the weapons you and your crew carry?"

"Don't know," Lupi replied casually, having safely tucked Malcolm away and taken over. He avoided looking at the woman on the floor, knowing that he had to be emotionless for the time being.

"Really?" Jerem bit back, exasperated. "Because I know for a fact that you not only implemented weapons upgrades but also designed modifications for existing ones to increase their yield."

"Oh?" the Brit replied, cocking his head to one side lazily.

"Yes," Jerem smiled coldly. "I have it from a very reliable source that you are gifted when it comes to weapons." As he spoke, his eyes flickered downwards and his smile grew wider.

"I see," Lupi replied, his tone as cold as ice. The sharp pain of betrayal stabbed into him as his eyes flickered briefly towards the woman on the floor. Had she betrayed him? Had she been working for Jerem all along? "_Fool_," he thought. "_She played you and you walked willingly into her trap_."

"No," she breathed, her eyes wide.

"If you tell me what I want, I'll go easy on her," he promised, his voice persuasive. "If you give me the information I require, you can have her for yourself, take her away with you on your Starship."

"Do what you want with her," the Brit sneered savagely. "She is nothing to me."

"There, _Miato_, you see?" he asked her, kneeling down and stroking her face. "You mean nothing to him. You were nothing more to him than a relief of physical needs." He laughed at her, roughly wiping away the single tear that fell onto her cheek. "And after all you've shared."

"Go to hell," she whispered angrily. "You're all the same."

"Oh no, _Miato_," he disagreed. "He thinks you betrayed him."

"It doesn't matter anymore," she told him, defeated.

"Ah, but it does," he smirked at her. Rising to his feet, he turned back to Malcolm. "She didn't give me anything," he informed the younger man. "She has been through several sessions with our dear friend," he motioned to the man who had been so liberal with the brand and knives. "And she didn't say a single word. No, my dear Malcolm, my information came from other sources, including the camera in your cell."

"What?" Malcolm asked, his eyes widening in horror as he realised his mistake.

"Oh yes," Jerem laughed cruelly. "We've had information about you for many cycles. We've been waiting for you to come here."

"I..." the Brit couldn't continue as he realised the extent of his perilous situation.

"And now, Lieutenant, I will get what I want from you."

With that, he motioned to the two guards who had brought Eli into the room. They moved forward and grabbed her arms, pinning her to the ground. Jerem reached down and tore away the frayed dress she was wearing, leaving her completely exposed. He knelt down and opened the drawstring of his trousers, bearing himself as he used his knees to push her legs apart. She stifled a scream as he forced himself into her, biting her lip so hard that blood was soon running down her face and dripping onto the floor beneath her. Malcolm watched helplessly as the woman he cared for, who had endured torture for him but never betrayed him, was raped by the man who imprisoned her for refusing him. Lupi's strength ensured his face remained impassive but inside he was screaming for Jerem to stop, to leave her alone. Had it not been for his years in Section, the vile act being perpetrated in front of him would have broken him. As it was, his rage began to overpower his distress and he imagined many ways to punish the corrupt First Minister.

Seeing his actions were not getting the anticipated response, Jerem nodded to the torturer. The old man moved forward, bringing with him the knife he had so carefully used on Malcolm's back days before. The knife bit deep into his chest, slicing muscle as it descended towards his heart. The torturer stop a fraction of an inch before the tip penetrated the heart, drawing the knife out again and sliding it back into Malcolm's chest, lower this time.

The knife had been used to make seven puncture wounds before Jerem finished with Eli. Laughing, he got to his feet and righted his clothing, motioning for one of the guards to take over the torture of the battered woman. As the guard moved into position above Eli, Malcolm screamed. The old man was rubbing some sort of salt into the open wounds and the guard who had been hitting him was pressing it into the cuts, his fingers covered in Malcolm's blood. The last of his clothing was cut away and the old man brought out his brand once again, smiling as he pressed it onto Malcolm's upper thigh. The Brit screamed as the brand was applied again, this time to the tender flesh of his hip, inches from his genitals. As the brand was pressed against his skin again and again he could no longer hold back the screams of pain. The guard with Eli forced his way into her and her cries of agony mingled with Malcolm's long into the night.


	8. Verdict

Author's Note: So, now we know that Eli did not betray Malcolm :p But she does have secrets, as we're about to discover ;)

* * *

**8\. Verdict**

_September 6__th__ 2159_

The five accused filed slowly into the court chamber, standing in front of their chairs and waiting for permission to be seated. To the observers, they appeared to be in good health, with no obvious injuries. In truth, many of the injuries that had been inflicted during the questioning sessions had been fully healed, in an attempt to hide that they had ever existed. Malcolm's posture was rigid, his face expressionless as he took his place on the end of the group. As Trip caught his gaze, the engineer could see the depth of fury and horror in the eyes of the Englishman. He turned to look at their Captain, the tightness around Jon's mouth indicating that he too had seen the change in his officer.

"_Something has happened,"_ he whispered to his colleagues in Vulcan. Both the Captain and T'Pol nodded their agreement.

"_We must be patient,"_ T'Pol advised quietly. Trip nodded his ascent reluctantly, not liking leaving his friend's fate in the hands of someone he neither knew nor trusted.

First Minister Jerem entered the chamber and took his seat, motioning for the accused to do the same. He looked at them all carefully, his gaze lingering on Malcolm for a moment longer than the rest and his nostrils flaring in annoyance. Despite the intensive torture session the day before, including the gang rape of Eli at his feet, they had still been unable to break the Starfleet officer. He knew that the only option now was to see if Malcolm would trade the information for his life.

"Ministers," he addressed the jury. "Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes, First Minister, we have," the foreman replied, getting to his feet.

"Please deliver your verdict," Jerem invited, careful to keep his face neutral.

"On the count of setting an explosive device with the intent to cause damage and injury, we find all the accused _Guilty_," the foreman said. Cries went up from the gathered crowd, some in in support of the accused and some against them.

"Quiet!" Jerem barked. He waited for the crowd to quieten before he motioned to the foreman to continue delivering the verdict.

"On the eleven counts of unlawful death," the foreman continued, swallowing hard. "We find all the accused _Guilty_."

"Thank you Ministers, you are dismissed," Jerem told them, a cold look in his eyes. He turned to the accused and continued. "Sentences will be decided today and given out tomorrow."

###

The door of the cell swung closed behind the guards but Malcolm remained still until he heard their footsteps fade down the corridor. He turned to look at Eli, huddled in the corner of the cell. Her dress had been replaced but the evidence of her torture and gang rape covered her body and face. He walked slowly over to her and knelt down in front of her, reaching out to gently touch her hand. She looked up at him, no sign of fear in her eyes as she studied his face.

"Guilty," was all he said, his voice soft.

"Like there was ever any doubt?" she smiled slightly, her voice light.

"No, I guess there wasn't," he agreed. "Sentencing is tomorrow."

"You know what the sentence is, don't you?" she asked him, her eyes sad.

"I do," he confirmed with a sigh.

"Don't worry, Malcolm," she told him, leaning forward and gently putting her arms around him. "You won't be going to the noose any time soon," she whispered in his ear, using the hug to be able to convey the message she didn't want overheard. He knew better than to ask what she meant, but he also knew that she was telling him not to make any deals with Jerem.

"Oh?" he whispered back, desperate to have something hopeful to hold on to.

"You'll have to trust me, but we won't be here much longer," she replied, her voice barely audible to him even with her mouth almost touching his ear. He nodded his agreement, shivering slightly. He didn't know what to believe but he knew he had to trust the woman who had already proven herself to him.

###

"Cap'n, we have to do something," Trip exclaimed angrily. "We can't leave him there to die!"

"I know that, Trip," Jon snapped back. "But we have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. It may be that First Minister Jerem decides to turn Malcolm over to us to be imprisoned back home."

"I'm afraid that isn't likely, Captain," T'Pol advised calmly. "We do know that if they hand out a death sentence, we'll have several days to figure something out before the sentence is carried out."

"Are you suggesting a jailbreak Commander?" Jon demanded in surprise.

"I believe the term you are looking for is 'liberating an innocent person Captain," she replied logically, her voice carrying only the barest hint of emotion. The two men looked at her in shock for several moments, before grins began to spread across their faces.


	9. Sentencing

Author's note: Hope I've not offended anyone with Ch. 7 :-/ So, we know Eli has secrets but how is that going to save Malcolm?

* * *

**9\. Sentencing**

_September 7__th__ 2159_

Malcolm walked into the court chamber behind his co-accused, the conversation with Eli the day before still fresh in his mind. He knew what the outcome of the meeting today would be, and that his captain would not react well to it. He wondered how Trip especially would react to the news that was going to be delivered very soon. His calm demeanour and slight smile was obviously confusing his crewmates. Feeling confident that his trust was not being misplaced, he worked on keeping his breathing even and his hands steady. He wanted to give nothing away to Jerem.

"Having been found guilty of such heinous crimes," Jerem began, rising to his feet. "And having taken the lives of eleven innocent people, there can be only one course of action." He looked at each of the five, a slight smirk tugging at his lips as his gaze came to rest on Malcolm.

"In five days time, you shall all be taken from this place and executed by hanging. This sentence shall be carried in the Ezalan Plaza, so that the dead can have their justice." Jerem pronounced, his voice lacking any emotion.

Cries of disgust and horror from the other prisoners caused Malcolm to look over at his crewmates, his friends, and to suddenly wish he hadn't. He didn't know what Eli had planned, but he couldn't risk saying anything to the other Enterprise crew members, for fear they would inadvertently give something away. The stunned looks on their faces tore at his soul and he wanted to be able to tell them not to worry, but he couldn't. Without being able to reassure his friends, he felt hands grasp his arms and saw his guards had come to collect him.

###

"Cap'n," Trip started to protest.

"Enough, Trip," Archer said, his tone brooking no argument. "We will discuss this once we get back to the ship."

"Aye, Sir," Trip acquiesced sullenly.

Turning back to First Minister Jerem, the captain continued. "First Minister, is there any way that we can prevent our crew member from being executed?"

"I'm afraid not, Captain," Jerem replied. "The crime is a terrible one and, as you saw from the videos, your crew member was directly involved."

"I see," Jon said coldly. "In that case, we will remain in orbit and take possession of his body once the execution has been carried out."

"I don't..." Jerem began, halting as Jon held up his hand.

"We _will_ remain in orbit and we _will _take Malcolm's body," Archer told him, his tone firm. "He will be returned to his family for burial." With a hard stare, he inclined his head to the First Minister and turned away, indicating that the matter was now closed. His officers flowed closely behind him, their anger barely more controlled than their captain's.

###

Eli crouched in the corner of the tiny toilet cubicle beside Malcolm, both just out of sight of the camera in the corner of the cell. They had said little since he had been returned to the cell, except for him confirming the sentence given. She held his hand tightly, her shaking with the effort to remain calm. She knew that the shift change was about to happen, as their food bowls had been collected shortly before the entered the cubicle. It had been the signal she was apparently waiting for and she had practically dragged him with her into the tiny room.

Suddenly they were thrown to the floor as the room shook violently. With a smile, Eli scrambled to her feet and grabbed Malcolm's hand, pulling him with her into the dust filled cell. Fresh air flooded into the cell through the large hole that had appeared in the wall. "_Our way out_," he thought with a smirk. Coughing, they moved towards the hole, as arms reached in and grabbed them, hauling out to freedom.

The compound was dark as they made their escape, the lights which would normally illuminate the area at night broken and useless. The group, which also included the four people he had been standing trial with, moved quietly across the grounds to a hole in the fence. Once through, they slipped into the surrounding woodland in twos, each pair going in a slightly different direction. Malcolm and Eli stayed together, she urging him onwards as the sounds of alarm began from the prison behind them...


	10. Escape and Evasion

Author's note: apologies for the delay in updating, RL has been hell these past few weeks and I've had no muse at all Hoping the scene with Jerem will clear up a few lingering questions :)

* * *

**10\. Escape and Evasion**

First Minister Jerem sat stiffly behind his desk, his eyes hard as he looked at his second in command. He took several deep breaths, trying to reign in the anger that was boiling under the surface and threatening to explode.

"What do you mean, they've escaped?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"Someone detonated explosives at the prison, targeting specific cells," the younger man replied, his voice wavering slightly in fear. "Both Elianne and the human were seen leaving the compound with a group of rebels."

"Tell me, Karem, how is it that the rebels managed to break into a highly secure facility and break people out if it?" he demanded, his voice steely.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I don't know," Karem confessed. "We believe they had someone on the inside."

"Were the humans involved?"

"No sir, the weapons and explosives were nothing like theirs," the Second Minister confirmed. "What are we going to tell them?"

"I don't know, Karem, I don't know," Jerem said, shaking his head. "The plan was never to execute the human, as you know. A few more days of more intensive torture and he would have broken and given us everything." His fist slammed into the solid wooden desk in front of him, knocking over several small metal sculptures that sat on the smooth surface.

"And then we'd have decided to be _lenient_, showing him _compassion_ and allow him to leave with his ship," the younger man finished, sighing at the loss of opportunity. "With him out of our control, we'll have no choice now but to kill him when we find him."

"And that's going to be a major problem," the older man concluded. "We needed to stay on good terms with the humans, at least until our allies had used the information we were to get from Lieutenant Reed to make the necessary modifications to their ships."

"Will our allies punish us for our failure?" Karem asked, his voice showing signs of fear.

"Most likely they will," Jerem confirmed with a sigh. "It was supposed to be an easy plan. Set up the bombing, frame the human, arrest him, interrogate him for the information about Enterprise's weapons and then release him. We would have appeared to be a civilised and peaceful society. That's why we never made any accusations against the rest of the crew, assuring their Captain that we 'knew his crew mate was working alone'. And then, when our allies were ready, they would have shared their weapons technology with us and we would have dealt with the rebels once and for all!"

"And now we will have to kill the human and have no information to share with our allies," the younger man said. "But what I don't understand is why they took the whore with them?"

"Because she is much more than a simple lower caste whore," the older man replied, shaking his head and dismissing the Second Minister with a wave of his hand. He needed a few moments quiet before he made the call to Enterprise to tell them about the unfortunate death of their crew mate.

###

Malcolm Reed had decided that this was probably the worst mission he had ever had the misfortune of being involved in. Accused of a crime he didn't commit, tortured and sentenced to death, it ranked up there with a few of the worst missions he had endured in Section. And to add to the confusion of the situation, he had allowed himself to become intimately involved with an alien woman he barely knew. While outwardly he appeared reserved to his colleagues, he was a red blooded male with physical needs that couldn't be satisfied on board Enterprise. The freedom of no strings attached sex was something he missed when he left section and joined Enterprise, but he indulged whenever they were near Risa. What he hadn't done since his time in Section was have unprotected sex, and the guilt of that action was weighing heavily on his mind.

"Malcolm," Eli repeated, touching his arm and pulling him from his thoughts. "We need to stop and rest for a few minutes." He nodded his agreement and dropped to the ground, grateful for the break from the arduous task of hiking into the mountains.

"Thanks," he murmured, taking the proffered water bottle from the exhausted woman beside him and taking a long drink from it. Their rescuers had supplied them with several bottles, which they would refill from the streams in the mountains when they became empty. "Do you think the others have evaded capture?" he asked quietly.

"Almost certainly," she answered, her voice little more than a whisper. "They are well trained and know the area far better than the city dwellers do."

"As do you?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"I grew up in these hills," she replied softly. "Lesan, our caste master, was a kind man who treated us all as if we were his equals. He worked alongside my father every late season, helping to gather the fruits and cull the herds."

"What happened to him?" Malcolm asked, an idea beginning to form in his mind.

"When Jerem became First Minister, he had Lesan brought before the council, accused of treason," she told him, tears welling up in her eyes. "They stripped him of his rank and lands, then hung him in the main plaza. It wasn't long after Lesan's death that Jerem took a shine to me."

"And because you had been treated like an equal, you weren't prepared to be anyone's slave?" he guessed, knowing he had hit the mark as her eyes widened. "So what happened? How did you become involved with the rebels?"

"Involved with them?" she laughed quietly, her eyes dancing with amusement. "My dear Malcolm, I lead the rebels in the area!"

"What?" he exclaimed, slapping his hand over his mouth when he realised he had spoken louder than he had intended. "You lead the rebels?"

"Yes, as difficult as that may seem to you," she said. "My father was murdered by Jerem's guards for not ordering me to accompany them, and our friends hid me away. While I was in hiding, I shared my knowledge of explosives and tactics with them, all things Lesan had shared with me. I organised them into a focused group, a cohesive unit that is trained and equipped to fight against our corrupt government."

"You're a rebel commander and you just happen to be in the same cell as me?" he demanded suspiciously.

"Yes, Malcolm, because Jerem wanted something from you," she confirmed, holding up her hand to forestall any argument. "He not only wanted the information about your ship's weapons. I think he also hoped that I would open up to you and give you details of the whereabouts of my people."

"So..." he began, stopping when she shook her head.

"No, I wasn't put there to get information out of you," she advised him with a wry grin. "Although I was convinced at first that you were a plant, until the first time they carried you back to the cell. After that, I was told by my contact who you were and why you were there. I admit, you becoming my lover wasn't intentional."

"I don't regret that it happened," he told her, pulling her onto his lap. "Although I don't know how compatible our species' are, if you know what I mean?"

"Interspecies pregnancies are incredibly rare," she assured him. "I wouldn't worry about it. If I was able to have children, I would have fallen pregnant to one of my abusers."

"True," he conceded, pushing himself to his feet and gently placing her back onto the dirt path they were following. "We should get going. Lead on." He gestured towards the route ahead with a flourish, grinning widely at his companion. She took to the path ahead of him, leading him deeper into the unfamiliar but remote mountains and away from the threats of the city.


End file.
